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Hop Punishment – Episode 1.12.2018

Jan 12
·
48 minutes

Beers
– O’Dell Brewing Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout
– Bud Light
– Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
– New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA
Off-Flavors in Beer
Oxidation
Over time, oxygen will cause the deterioration of the beer leading to the classic oxidation aromas of wet paper and cardboard.
The best brewers spend huge amounts of resources and effort controlling dissolved oxygen to extend the shelf life of their beer.
Lightstruck
Lightstruck beers are not a product of poor brewing processes but of poor packaging choices. Clear and green bottles are the enemies of beer. Ultraviolet (UV) light interacts with the isohumlones (hop alpha acids in beer) to create a distinctive “skunky” aroma.
This is the only acceptable use of the term “skunky.” A lot of people call beers “skunky” when they have some other flaw or aroma, but the only actually skunky aroma belongs to lightstruck beers. There are hop products available for brewing that have the volatile compound removed. Miller Brewing uses it in their clear bottled beers.
Diacetyl
Diacetyl is one of the more common flaws created at breweries that cut corners or use poor technique in their brewing processes. Diacetyl can be identified by an aroma of butter or butterscotch.
Small levels of diacetyl are acceptable in certain styles.
In lagers, extra time is particularly important to clean up diacetyl.
When you taste excess amounts of diacetyl, it’s often from breweries that are new and still haven’t dialed in their processes and aren’t creating the right conditions for their yeast to handle the diacetyl it produces.
The final area of diacetyl incursion happens outside of the brewer’s control: in draft lines. Dirty beer lines provide the ideal place for yeast, wild yeast, and bacteria to grow.
DMS
DMS (dimethyl sulfide) smells like creamed corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and cooked vegetables. In its lowest detectable levels, DMS can be part of the flavor profile in certain pale lagers and cream ales. DMS occurs during the grain malting process and comes from organic sulfur compounds. It’s most common in 6-row malt, pilsner malt, and corn.
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde smells like green apples.
Beer consumers need to be careful to not confuse

Beers
– O’Dell Brewing Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout
– Bud Light
– Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
– New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA
Off-Flavors in Beer
Oxidation
Over time, oxygen will cause the deterioration of the beer leading to the classic oxidation aromas of wet paper and cardboard.
The best brewers spend huge amounts of resources and effort controlling dissolved oxygen to extend the shelf life of their beer.
Lightstruck
Lightstruck beers are not a product of poor brewing processes but of poor packaging choices. Clear and green bottles are the enemies of beer. Ultraviolet (UV) light interacts with the isohumlones (hop alpha acids in beer) to create a distinctive “skunky” aroma.
This is the only acceptable use of the term “skunky.” A lot of people call beers “skunky” when they have some other flaw or aroma, but the only actually skunky aroma belongs to lightstruck beers. There are hop products available for brewing that have the volatile compound removed. Miller Brewing uses it in their clear bottled beers.
Diacetyl
Diacetyl is one of the more common flaws created at breweries that cut corners or use poor technique in their brewing processes. Diacetyl can be identified by an aroma of butter or butterscotch.
Small levels of diacetyl are acceptable in certain styles.
In lagers, extra time is particularly important to clean up diacetyl.
When you taste excess amounts of diacetyl, it’s often from breweries that are new and still haven’t dialed in their processes and aren’t creating the right conditions for their yeast to handle the diacetyl it produces.
The final area of diacetyl incursion happens outside of the brewer’s control: in draft lines. Dirty beer lines provide the ideal place for yeast, wild yeast, and bacteria to grow.
DMS
DMS (dimethyl sulfide) smells like creamed corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and cooked vegetables. In its lowest detectable levels, DMS can be part of the flavor profile in certain pale lagers and cream ales. DMS occurs during the grain malting process and comes from organic sulfur compounds. It’s most common in 6-row malt, pilsner malt, and corn.
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde smells like green apples.
Beer consumers need to be careful to not confuseRead less